Beat Your Heart Out
by I'm Miss World
Summary: Follow the aftermath of the fire at Putnam barn. Aaron really isn't so bad, Pogue tries healing his wounds, and Reid shows his true colors. It only gets messier when things get a little witchy. And it all surrounds one girl; Corrine Schaeffer. PogueOCReid
1. Chapter I

**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Covenant.

**A/N:** This needed to be written after watching an episode of Freaks and Geeks. Character pic in the profile, as usual.

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**Beat Your Heart Out **

**Chapter I**

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"_Really?_" Her eyes rolled at the condescending voice behind her. "_This_ is what you're doing on Halloween while we're all gonna party in Salem all night? You're _studying_?" Aaron Abbot took it upon himself to plop down in the seat across the table from Corrine Schaeffer, 'accidentally' knocking her book to the floor. How very characteristic of him, correct?

Wrong.

It wasn't at all what it looked like. To the naked eye, it would look as though the muscled jock was picking on the reserved looking girl. But Corrine was one of the very few people in this school that Aaron gave a shit about. "Yes Aaron, I'm studying. Halloween is for kids."

The curly haired brunette snorted, crossing his arms in front of him while he watched her lean down and recover her fallen Chemistry text. "When you said you had plans, I actually thought you were going on a date or something."

A light laugh escaped her slightly glossed lips. "Yeah, that's about as likely as me actually going _out_ tonight. I know where this is going Aaron, so I suggest you save your breath and get on with your night because I have no, _absolutely_ no intentions of coming out with you."

The arrogant teen just smirked and sat up in his chair. "And that's about as likely as me just walking away without pushing you, and pushing you, and _pushing_ you until you finally cave in." The cheeky grin and assuring glint in his eye made Corrine groan out loud, predicting that she wouldn't win this battle, as was generally custom, no matter how confident she was in her rebuttal.

"Come on, I got a suite on reserve in town," he persuaded.

"Oh, because I _really_ want to wait in the lobby while you and Kira have sex again," she retorted, reminded of St. Patrick's Day last year when they'd stayed overnight in Boston.

"Kira is _not_ coming." Of course, she should have known. Aaron and Kira broke up and got back together on a near hourly basis. "Come on, we can get wasted and pass out watching zombie movies, I swear."

Corrine gave a slight smile, remembering times in the past where she and Aaron had done specifically that, having been pretty close since sixth grade when she was assigned as his English tutor. They had maintained an odd and unexpected friendship ever since.

Odd, simply because they had close to nothing in common apart from a love for classic horror, Xbox and Cool Ranch Doritos. Unlikely because, to be blunt, Aaron was popular and Corrine wasn't.

"I'm sure we'll have to make some kind of appearance outside the hotel though, huh? And I don't have a costume anyway." She knew she was fighting a losing battle, but she tried anyway. Corrine really had no interest in looking like a moron in a stupid costume, being suffocated by a mess of people and overly excited children, and of course with Aaron, inevitably running in to a bunch of Spenser kids that didn't like her.

"I'll go get you a costume. I won't even make you go with me." That was a disaster waiting to happen.

"Yeah, cause I trust you to pick out my clothes. I'd end up in underwear and bunny ears. No thanks." She only spoke the truth. Though there wasn't anything even slightly romantic between them, Aaron recognized that underneath all the tee shirts and jeans, there was a hot chick in his presence on a day to day basis.

Aaron grinned shamelessly, leaning back against the chair. "Well, I'm telling you, if you showed some skin you'd get a boyfriend and have a _real_ excuse not to hang out with me."

Again, Corrine rolled her eyes at the sexually charged individual before her. It really seemed like she was the only person her age who didn't need sex to be happy. "You're a pig. And besides, what good would getting male attention be to me anyway? You'd just scare them off with all your macho bull."

"Stop whining and go get changed into real clothes. Then meet me in the caf. I wanna eat before we head out. We can go grab you a costume at the mall." He stood and ruffled the mess of blonde piled on top of her head before leaving the library, the one place he was positive he'd find her whenever she went MIA.

Sighing, Corrine decided she'd better just get it all over with and packed up her books before heading to the dorms. Her messenger bag slapped the back of her knees as she took long strides towards the boarding house, crisp autumn leaves crunching under her feet. And all too inconveniently, on her part at least, another pair of heavier footsteps kept pace with her stride.

"What's up loser?" Aaron Abbot could easily let these words slip past his lips and Corrine would be unaffected, she might even laugh. But this wasn't Aaron, oh no. This was Reid Garwin, the worst of the worst.

Corrine, as always, swallowed the lump in her throat and continued to walk straight ahead, trying her best to ignore the irritating blonde. Reid was an ever-present bully, the worst one Corrine had, though he definitely wasn't alone. Associating with Aaron couldn't save her reputation completely, and it seemed as though it only increased Reid's desire to pick on her, especially since it pissed Aaron off as much as it upset Corrine. It was like killing two birds with one stone, and Reid was always game for that.

A tug at her bag made it slide from her shoulder and out of her grasp, stopping her and forcing Corrine to turn around and face Reid. "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

His blue eyes danced in sick enjoyment as she lunged forward, trying hard to snatch the strap of her belonging, but coming up short as the blonde Son of Ipswich leapt a step backward, just out of her reach. "What do you want Reid?" Corrine sighed, giving in to his bullying as she always did when Aaron wasn't around to defend her.

His brows rose in slight marvel at how simple that was before he dropped her bag on the ground between them. "Nothing. Just wanted to see how you're handling your _boyfriend's_ disappearance. Haven't heard from him, have you?" The malice behind Reid's icy eyes shocked Corrine beyond belief. "You know he was trying to fuck Kate, right?"

And before she knew it, before she could even _control_ it, a loud smack registered throughout the courtyard, a decent amount of straggling students 'ooh'-ing at the scene that had just played out. Corrine's palm stung and Reid had a red mark burning his cheek and possibly the most surprised expression she'd ever seen across his features. And before he could even retaliate, Corrine scooped her bag from the ground and ran off, tears stinging her eyes.

Reid always pushed her buttons, every opportunity he got. And he'd done some horribly mean things in the past. But he'd never sunk so low. Chase Collins had been the new transfer student from Hastings at the beginning of the term, and he had been charming, athletic, witty, and intelligent. And most importantly, he had been interested in Corrine, at least it had seemed.

Aaron hadn't liked the guy, and he'd made it a point to threaten him when he picked up on the extra attention he was giving Corrine, but even that hadn't detoured him. It hadn't been much, a few casual dates and one modest, but to Corrine, mind-blowing kiss. And then just like that, he was gone. There was a fire at Putnam barn, and apparently he had been there. No body was found, but it was fairly clear to Corrine and everyone else that he'd probably been an unfortunate casualty.

The fact that Reid would throw something like _that_ in her face was horrible, especially since it had just been over a month since it happened. Though Chase hadn't been around long, Corrine felt a real connection, maybe the first romantic one of her life, and it was taken from her before she even got a valid chance to experience it.

Unlocking her door and slamming it shut angrily behind her, Corrine dumped her things on the floor, throwing herself onto her bed and sobbing into her pillow.

It took her a few minutes to compose herself. She didn't know why it affected her so much; sure she liked Chase, but she honestly hadn't known him that well. He'd only been around for less than a month. But Reid was just a rotten prick for being so heartless, and upon that decision, she went into the bathroom to wash her face quickly and then dressed herself in a pair of ripped jeans and a fitted band tee.

Upon entering the cafeteria, she found it to be pretty empty, easily spotting Reid giving her a foreboding, dirty look from the designated table only he and Pogue Parry were seated at for the moment.

Aaron was nowhere to be seen, so after getting some lunch from the line, Corrine sat down at an empty table and began texting him to find out where he had disappeared to.

At the same moment, Reid sat with his friend, unable to stop glaring in Corrine's direction, far too focused on what had happened earlier, how she'd got the better of him in front of all those people. It spread like wildfire, and the slightly present red glow on his right cheek didn't really help the matter either. Everyone was whispering about it.

"I can't believe she slapped you," Pogue chuckled, finding the whole situation pretty amusing. He wasn't one for gossip, and he didn't really know or care what had provoked her, but he was pretty sure whatever it was had been deserved. Reid was relentless sometimes, and Corrine was unfortunately a frequent unlucky victim. He felt bad for her; Reid would probably leave her alone if she wasn't friends with Aaron. It was the only real reason he could see for Reid's motivation. Corrine was pretty, maybe not traditionally, but she was in good shape and had nice eyes. She wasn't the snotty rich girl type; more the nerdy recluse who played Left 4 Dead at night instead of going to Nicky's and maybe a little bit of a tree hugger. Pogue didn't really understand Reid's vendetta against her, but at the same time he wasn't going to go out of his way to fight it.

"Fuck you," Reid grumbled, the gears turning in his mind. He had to get back at her for that. Did she suddenly grow balls or something? There was no way she was going to get away with slapping him in front of a bunch of people scot-free. It's not as if the slap hurt that badly, but it was a huge bruise to his ego, and in order to inflate it, she would have to suffer.

It was then when he caught sight of the bag of peanuts on his lunch tray. And he remembered something. "Go over there and talk to her; distract her."

Pogue looked up from his food, confusion written across his face. "What?"

Reid grabbed the bag of peanuts, ripped it open and dumped a few in his hand. "Go distract her. I'm going to put peanuts in her food. She's allergic. It'll be hilarious. She'll get all puffy and blotchy."

Pogue raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Is it that big of a deal Reid? Besides, that's kind of fucked up."

"Whose friend are you? Mine or Aaron's?" Pogue sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"Yours obviously." He ran a hand through his hair. "I just don't see what this is going to accomplish."

Reid huffed, rolling his eyes and leaning toward his friend. "Just do it, would you? It'll be a fun little Halloween prank. I can't let them have one up on me dude."

Pogue caved, not really knowing why he was going along with this, but for the sake of avoiding an argument, he grabbed his text off the table and stood up. "Are you sure this is safe Reid?" Pogue had _seen My Girl_, by force of course, and he just hoped nothing Thomas J-like was going to happen here.

"I've seen that bitch eat peanut butter before. She's full of it. Besides, even if she is allergic, what's the worst that could happen? She'll get a few hives." Pogue assumed that was true. It wasn't bee stings like in that movie. It wasn't the same. Despite himself, he casually made his way over to the table she was sitting at alone, texting away on her phone.

"Hey Schaeffer, I need a quick favor." Normally, Corrine wouldn't hear a word from the longhaired Pogue Parry, but for some reason he had pulled up a seat beside her and wanted some of her time. Corrine's eyebrows knit together until he presented his Calculus book to her, opening to a page and pointing to a problem. "How the hell do I figure this out?" he questioned, looking genuinely confused over a complex problem. Corrine scratched her head before turning to the side slightly and leaning over to point out different steps to the not so studious biker. It was much easier to just go with it and help him out than to argue and possibly attract unwanted attention from Reid.

She didn't even notice the blonde slip a handful of crushed peanuts into her forgotten sandwich. "…And that's it. It's pretty easy, just follow the guide right here," Corrine finalized, hoping she'd gotten through to him. Pogue sat for an extra minute after closing his book, leaning back and looking Corrine in the eye, then looking past her before he sighed, shook his head and stood. It almost looked like he wanted to say something to her, but then thought better of it.

"Thanks. I gotta go," were his rushed words before he ran off to join Reid back at their table. They were the only two available Sons of Ipswich, Caleb Danvers already seriously in deep with Sarah Wenham, the new girl, and Tyler Simms having recently shacked up with the captain of the girl's swim team, Veronica Callaghan.

Reid was always single, going from girl to girl as he tended too. But Corrine almost felt bad for Pogue. He'd never really personally targeted her, though he could be as big of a bully to other kids as Reid was to her. And now he just looked a little sad and hollow, since Kate left anyway.

No one really knew the details, not that Corrine was very attentive to gossip, but it was hard to _not_ know things about the four most popular guys in school. They were constantly the topic of conversation. And apparently, sometime between Kate getting hospitalized for spider bites, Pogue getting into a motorcycle accident, and each of them recovering and being released from the hospital, Kate had transferred to a school out in New York, leaving her life in Ipswich behind, including her boyfriend. It had been years since the hazel-eyed son had been single, and there were certainly girls ranting and raving about the recent occurrence, therefore Corrine wasn't able to ignore it.

And of course there were those rumors that she had cheated on him with Chase. Corrine wouldn't believe those rumors though. She couldn't bring herself to do it. Why would she want to believe that the one guy who'd ever shown real interest in her was trying to get with a girl with a boyfriend? It made Corrine feel like maybe she was just a second choice when Chase realized Kate was taken; something to do while he waited to see if he could get in with her.

Angrily brushing those thoughts out of her mind, Corrine sighed in relief when she saw Aaron coming towards her alone, thankfully not flanked by Bordy Becklin and Ryan Bael. Being Aaron's friends, it's not as if they were mean to her, but their lack of intelligence just got on her nerves, and she could only take so much.

She offered Aaron a smile as he settled himself across from her, cracked open a Coke can and dug into a plate of French fries and chicken tenders. Don't let his physique fool you; Aaron was just one of those people who could eat whatever and never look out of shape. Of course, the gym helped define him, but even if he didn't work out, he'd never be overweight.

"You _slapped_ Garwin in the _face_?" Aaron was almost giddy as the words escaped his full mouth.

"Word travels fast." Corrine really didn't want this to turn into some big thing.

"The hell did he do to make you do that? I mean, I'm sure he had it coming, he's had it coming for a while." Aaron took this moment to glance over his shoulder where half of the little Ipswich clique was sitting. "But I've seen you take a lot of crap from that guy and do absolutely nothing. What changed?"

Corrine never finished their conversation. She had taken a bite of her egg salad sandwich, and the unmistakable taste of peanuts made her chewing cease, and her eyes widen in surprise. "Aaron…" She took a deep breath and put the sandwich down. "Did you put something in my food?"

Aaron looked utterly confused, brow furrowing as he looked on, uncertain of what was happening. "No, why would I—" Aaron put the food in his hand down and stood up, noticing the blotching red skin on Corrine's face and the panicked look in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Corrine shook her head, the feeling of her throat swelling starting to make her freak out. "Some one put peanuts in my food."

Aaron's face fell and his heart sank. A lump formed in his throat and he could hear the echo of his pulse thundering in his ears. His mouth went dry and, though he couldn't see it, his face turned a shade paler. Corrine was allergic to peanuts, _severely_ allergic. And most people were aware of this too since one time back in seventh grade, a student had brought in peanut brittle and been too close to Corrine, resulting in a mild breakout of hives. And those peanuts hadn't even _touched_ her.

"I'm calling 911."


	2. Chapter II

**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Covenant.

**A/N:** Thanks for giving the great feedback; that's what I like to see! And for everyone who's been waiting oh so patiently, Skyy and I are in communication once again and working on a revival of our collaborations. So keep a lookout.

**

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Beat Your Heart Out**

**Chapter II**

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"Are you _serious_?" Aaron exploded right in the face of one of the male EMT's on hand. The poor soul had been the unfortunate one chosen to let Aaron know only family could ride in the ambulance with Corrine, who was currently being strapped to a stretcher, equipped with an oxygen mask and hooked up to an IV all at the same time. "All she has is her dad and he's not even in the fucking country right now!"

"I'm sorry sir, but it's policy. There's nothing I can do." With that, the man rushed off down the hallway behind his coworkers, Corrine rolling away with them. This whole situation was just surreal.

It was the most terrifying thing he'd ever experienced. It looked like she couldn't _breathe_. There were red blotches marking her skin. She collapsed onto the floor before Aaron could catch her.

Someone had put peanuts in her sandwich. And Corrine was allergic to peanuts and peanut oil. _Deathly_ allergic.

"Who did it?" Aaron's nostrils flared and his heart pounded. His body was jittering with adrenaline. Slowly, he turned around to face the on-looking students. "Which one of you _fucking_ assholes did it!" His voice boomed through the cafeteria, hushing the crowd that had gathered around to see what was going on.

It was that precise moment Aaron caught sight of the pale, hollow expression on the face of Reid Garwin. Aaron marched up to the blonde immediately, having his own opinions on the matter regardless of what Reid's face read. "It was you, wasn't it Garwin? You piece of shit! I should fucking kill you! How many fucking times have I told you to leave her alone?" Aaron barked in the face of his long-time nemesis.

It took three guys to pull Aaron off of Reid, Pogue being one of them. Aaron wasn't stupid. If that ill look on Reid's face hadn't given it away, the fact that he had the motivation from that slap earlier would have.

Finally Aaron gave up his struggles, mind clearing slightly as he realized here was not where he needed to be at the moment. Shrugging the restraining arms of his peers off, he backed away from Reid, glad to see some blood dripping from his nose as he rose to his feet. "If she dies Garwin…"

With that he left, the mere thought of what he'd just said killing him inside. What if she _did_ die? It didn't make him feel any better that no one that came with the ambulance could give him a solid answer as to whether or not she would be all right. He heard a lot of words being thrown around; choking, coma, _death_. These were all words he never wanted to associate with the sarcastic little blonde he'd come to care about much more than he'd ever really thought possible.

No one crossed Aaron's path as he made his way to the parking lot, not even the panicking teachers and Provost. He got into his black Porsche and sat for a minute, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. The curly haired teen swallowed his heart, which felt like it was in his throat, and pushed back the horrible thoughts searing through his mind while blinking away the liquid that had suddenly pooled in the corners of his eyes.

Aaron Abbot did _not_ cry.

But all he could think about was what would happen once he got to the hospital. What if something bad had gone down in the time he wasn't present? What would he _do_? When it came down to it, and he'd never realized this before, Corrine made him feel much more needed than anyone else in his life. Since he'd taken a personal interest in her, he'd always felt like he'd had a purpose. Aaron was fully aware that most of the time he was a complete asshole, but not with her. With her, he could let his guard down and take the role of the older brother he'd never gotten to be, and the one she desperately needed. He was there to protect her in a sense. And he'd completely failed.

Sucking in a deep breath, Aaron turned the key and peeled out of his parking space, heading towards the emergency room where he hoped he could get some kind of information.

Back in the cafeteria, Pogue had grabbed Reid by the shoulder of his hoodie and practically dragged the stunned blonde into the men's room. Two freshmen were at the sinks, but quickly retreated with one menacing look from Pogue.

And before anything was said, Pogue shoved the idiot he considered a brother into the concrete wall. "You're a fucking moron!" he growled harshly. God, why had he gone along with Reid's stupid prank? Corrine was in serious danger of being in critical condition if what he'd overheard was right!

Reid didn't even know how to answer. He'd never been so scared in his entire life. _Never_ in a million years had he expected her to get completely fucked up just from eating those peanuts. What had he been thinking? Why did he decide this had been a good idea in the first place?

He'd never been good with controlling his temper, and Corrine had pissed him off and embarrassed him in front of enough people where it had been unacceptable in his eyes. Reid was notorious for taking things too far when he wasn't thinking clearly, and this was probably the finest example of this flaw. But how was he going to convince everyone that he didn't mean it? The caf hadn't been packed but it wasn't empty; someone was bound to have seen him even if he denied it until the cows came home. Plus, Aaron seemed to figure it out all too quickly; the last thing Reid needed was to be expelled. This is not what he'd wanted to happen at _all_.

"What the hell is going to happen if she dies dude? That _was not_ a mild allergic reaction, you fuck!" Pogue paced furiously, hands tugging at his light brown hair. "Do you understand that I could be an accessory to _murder_ if she dies? Do you _get_ that?"

"Yes, I fucking get that!" Reid hissed, having had enough of being berated. He paused a second, taking a few deep breaths. "Besides, I wouldn't let you take a fall for this."

Pogue was a little shocked by Reid claiming he wouldn't throw him under the bus. Reid would usually do anything to get out of trouble. Then again, despite the constant feuds he and Caleb seemed to have with Reid and Tyler, the Garwin spawn had never betrayed any one of them. He was as loyal as he was brash and hotheaded.

But this could mean the serious kind of trouble if things took a bad turn; the absolute _worst_ kind of trouble. "We have to go to the hospital and make sure she's okay." There was no question in Pogue's voice; they were going. He wasn't letting Reid ignore this problem, not this time.

And oh, did he pray; they both did in fact. They prayed that everything would be taken care of before Caleb found out. Neither one of them needed a lecture. They knew now that it never should have happened, but it was already done, and they couldn't go back and erase it. Getting some 'what were you thinking' speech from the leader of their group would only piss them off; they already felt horrible enough.

"We need to check the book first though. Maybe I can find a spell or something that will help. I don't care if I have to Use." Reid wouldn't be able to live with the knowledge he had been the cause of some horrible, pointless outcome for Corrine. He'd do what he could and then just hope for the best.

And the selfish part of him hoped that this wouldn't get around, and his reputation would still be in tact. No matter how unpopular Corrine was, if people found out about the prank he'd pulled, he was sure they'd hate him.

God, he hated _himself_ sometimes.

* * *

Kira Snider took a deep, shaky breath as she looked on at the girl she'd never really considered a friend until now. It was funny how these situations put these kinds of things into perspective. But the beeping machines and the various wires that seemed to be attached to a once self sufficient human body made Kira think, _really_ think.

"I know we've never really… seen eye to eye. You think I'm a snob and I think you're…" Kira stopped, allowing a sob to escape her lips, shielding her eyes from the girl she never really expected to worry about. "You have to get better. We've never gotten to bond over ice cream and Johnny Depp movies."

The frizzy haired girl stared at her fidgeting hands, saying a silent prayer. "I know Aaron and I aren't on great terms right now, but… he needs you. And despite the way I act…" Kira faded out and played with a ring on her finger, sliding it on and off before inhaling sharply and blinking a few tears out. "Remember in tenth grade on my birthday when we went to Six Flags? My mom called you to invite you and I acted like it was only because she knew you were my roommate. She thinks we're best friends." Kira shook her head and laughed lightly. "Truth is, I'm the one who told her we were. That was the best birthday I ever had. We fight all the time, but I like you, I always have. I just wish Aaron would care about me as much as he cares about you."

Kira's confession had lifted a heavy weight off her shoulders, even if Corrine was completely out of it. Honestly, that's what made it easy for Kira to admit these things, the fact that she couldn't respond. Kira was popular, yes. But did she have many real friends? No. And though they had frequent spats, Kira had always valued Corrine's company as roommates and oh so secretly wished they could be the best of friends.

"Make it through this, okay?"

* * *

"What the _fuck_ do you want?" Aaron's words dripped with venom, spotting the two Sons of Ipswich as they entered the waiting room.

'We just wanted to see how Corrine was doing. Is she okay?" Pogue tried to be the peacemaker between Aaron and a straggling Reid. But if he knew Aaron, and he definitely did, this wasn't going to be a walk in the park.

"If by okay you mean in critical condition, then yeah, she's _fine_," Aaron hissed. He'd never forgive Garwin for this, and he'd definitely never let him forget, especially if things got worse. "You've got some fucking nerve showing up here." The words were said directly to the blonde.

Reid didn't know what to say. He couldn't defend himself. Even if he denied he'd done it to Aaron, whoever had seen him sneaking around her in the cafeteria would eventually retell this information to Aaron. And besides, owning up to his fuck ups was the least he could do in this situation, even _he_ could recognize that. "Can I go in and see her?"

"Fuck off!" Aaron almost jumped forward, ready to attack the blonde again. How dare he even think it was okay to ask that question. No he could not fucking see her! "Why did you do it you fucking asshole? She's never once even gone out of her way to talk to you! And she's the one who keeps me from beating your ass all the time! So what the fuck were you trying to prove by fucking… _poisoning_ her?"

"I get it, okay? I'm a fucking asshole and I took it way too far. I honestly never thought something like this would happen, _ever_." Reid was trying hard to get Aaron to see reason here, because Reid and Pogue had in fact come across something in the _Book of Damnation_ that both were pretty sure could help. But Reid couldn't get it done if he couldn't get into the room. At this point, he really just wanted to help. And also bail his ass out.

But Aaron wasn't backing down. "You _are not_ going anywhere near her." Aaron just couldn't even fathom Reid at the moment. "It's one thing when you get in my face and we end up fucking each other up, but the minute you fucked with her like this, you crossed the line."

"I _know_." Reid was getting so frustrated, and the urge to Use on Aaron to get him the fuck out of his way was becoming harder and harder to push back. Pogue must have noticed because at that moment, he placed a hand on Reid's shoulder to try and calm his friend down before he lost his cool completely and did something characteristically stupid.

The tension broke slightly when Kira walked out of the room just then, eyes covered with one hand while she sobbed dramatically. Aaron was compelled to comfort her by wrapping his arms around her shoulder, despite their recent falling out.

"Just leave Garwin." Aaron was absolutely done with this discussion. He wasn't having it. There was no chance of Reid getting into that room. At least he thought, until a nurse came up to him, clipboard in hand.

"Mr. Abbot, we're going to need you to give us some more information if you can, and we'd also like to know if you have a way we can contact her father." Aaron was torn; he needed to go with this woman, because despite how much Aaron disliked Corrine's father, he needed to know and he needed to get here as soon as possible.

Not being of any actual relation to Corrine hindered Aaron's control of who could and could not visit her technically. Since she was critical, yet stable at the moment, kids from school were being allowed to come in and see her, though not many had shown yet. He had no choice but to leave Garwin with all the access in the world, though he managed to give him a pointed, warning look. Of course, it was no shock to him that Reid completely disregarded it.

Slowly, Reid pushed the door open and stepped into the room, greeted by the monotonous beeping of the machines hooked up to Corrine. It was frightening, the sight before him. The image of her lying there, sickly compared to her normally sunbathed complexion. Her eyes were closed and her nose and mouth were covered by the oxygen piece. Reid felt sick to his stomach, but then remembered that if he was going to do this, it would have to be sooner than later.

Taking a sharp breath, Reid allowed the power to overtake him. It surged through his body like the blood that ran through his veins, pumping and gushing to the very tips of his fingers and toes. Focusing his black eyes, he saw the toxins inside her body, the poison he'd given her. He used his power to control the flow of it; completely extract the oils from her body through her pores, evaporating it into the air.

Once he could no longer sense any remnants of the peanuts in her body, he released his power with a shudder. He waited a moment, hoping and praying that she would suddenly snap out of it and wake up. But of course, it couldn't be that simple. Sure, he'd gotten all of the allergen out of her, but she was still suffering from the initial reaction, and she was staying unresponsive.

Reid sighed in frustration. Why couldn't this just work in his favor? He'd never felt this bad in his entire life. He had royally fucked up, and seeing her there, completely helpless was killing him.

"I can't believe this is happening." Reid felt weird, talking to someone unresponsive, but he couldn't live with himself if he didn't get all of this out; hell, if she took a turn for the worst, he wouldn't be able to live with himself as it is. "I'm sorry."

It was a phrase that rarely, if ever, left the blonde Son of Ipswich's mouth, mainly because he only said it when he genuinely meant it. And did he ever mean it at this very moment.

"I don't know what to say. Seriously, what the fuck? Who goes in to critical condition from eating _peanuts_? God, this is such bullshit!" He couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if she died. Sure, her condition was stabilized, but she could have brain damage or something from whatever kind of comatose she was in, if she ever came to anyway. And doctors couldn't be sure when or if she would wake up. "I'm so, so sorry. I don't know why I did it. I don't know why I thought it would be funny. It's not fucking funny and I'm sorry, so you need to wake up now!"

The steady heart monitor was the only sound for a long minute while Reid stayed silent, waiting for some response from her. That's always how it worked in the movies, right? This wasn't a movie though. This was a horrible, horrible reality that he'd brought upon himself.

"I swear if you wake up I will never, _ever_ fuck with you again. You have to get through this." Again he paused, waiting for a reply he was pretty certain he wouldn't get at this point. Reid let out a bitter laugh finally, rubbing at his eyes, then his temples. "I know… you have no idea why I'm always on your case. It's fucking stupid, really stupid. But I can't get over it. And sometimes, I can't believe you're that oblivious to it."

Reid inhaled slowly, bitter memories coming back. He was always one to hold a grudge. "That time, when I asked you to the semi formal in eighth grade and you said no…" Reid stopped for a minute, scowling at the memory. "I was so pissed. I wanted you to be my girlfriend. I had it all planned and you just flat out rejected me. God, and then you went with Aaron of all people."

Reid pondered what to say next, because now was the time. It may be the only opportunity he got. "Honestly, I think you're awesome. I always wanted to go out with you. You like all the same movies and bands and videogames that I do. We read the same books. You're smoking hot. I don't get it. I can't figure out _why_ you don't like me." He snorted then, realizing the situation at hand. "I'm not always a jerk you know. I would've been nice to you if you'd just said yes. But you didn't and I'm one of those assholes that doesn't take rejection well."

Taking one long, last look at Corrine's unmoving form, Reid shook his head and decided he'd better get out of there before Aaron came back. "Just pull through, okay babe?"


	3. Chapter III

**Disclaimer:** I don't own The Covenant.

**A/N:** So I really hope everyone has seen Toby in the new Taylor Swift video. Because I totally eye-raped that on Youtube over and over again. He looks freaking amazing.

**

* * *

Beat Your Heart Out**

**Chapter III**

* * *

Reid emerged cautiously from the room Corrine was lodged in, making sure Aaron was still gone before he fully stepped through the door. Pogue stepped forward immediately, coming into close contact with the blonde. "Well?" he asked expectantly.

Reid just looked at Pogue morosely, then shrugged his shoulders. "It worked… but it didn't at the same time," he sighed. He couldn't push this horrible feeling of worry away. It was like something was caught in his throat, and it just wouldn't go down. And of course his heart seemed to be beating at least twice its normal speed. Reid just couldn't stop thinking the worst, and what would happen if it came down to that. Would he go to jail for the rest of his life? Probably. He might even get the death penalty! Sure, he wasn't eighteen yet, but you never know these days.

Pogue let out the breath he'd been holding, disappointed to hear those words come out of his brother's mouth. That cleansing spell had been their only hope. Now it was up to nature and science, neither of which Pogue had a whole lot of faith in. Psh, faith. That was another thing all in itself. A thing Pogue never really had a strong connection with.

"All right well… I'm gonna go in there for a minute. Be right out." Pogue wasn't sure what compelled him to go into that room, but he figured it was the guilt or something. He knew what Reid was going to do, hell, he even considered the worst outcome possible, and he'd still gone along with it. Reid never had goood ideas, _never_. There was always trouble connected to the Garwin offspring, but Pogue had completely ignored his instincts. And for what? Just so Reid could get some petty revenge by humiliating a girl he'd already harassed to the point where she'd used physical violence against him?

To put it simply, Pogue felt like a complete idiot.

The sight made his stomach churn. He was sure he'd be sick if he didn't have an unusually strong stomach. Tubes and wires seemed to be everywhere, connected to machine after machine after machine. His hazel eyes focused on his feet for a moment, the lump in his throat being swallowed before he could look up again.

The worst thing about all of this was that he knew exactly what she must feel like, assuming she could comprehend what was going on at all. It was only a short while back that he'd been in the same exact position. Upon going into the room, he hadn't planned on saying anything, just praying silently to a god he didn't even believe in, hoping he could salvage some kind of forgiveness from this. But the words just came out.

"I know we never really talk or anything…" He huffed, smoothing a hand through his hair. This was difficult, Pogue being a man of few words, but he felt it needed to be done; _something_ needed to be said. "We never meant for this to happen, you know. I don't know what I was thinking. I could've stopped this, and I didn't. And I'm really sorry."

Corrine was someone he didn't know at all, despite having been in school with her almost his entire life. He'd seen Reid on her case countless times, which usually led to Aaron getting pissed off and a fight breaking out, some of which Pogue had participated in. But he'd never really talked to her, just a few words here and there through the years. And now, for some unknown reason, it scared him to think he might never get the opportunity to.

"I know how it feels… being hooked up to all his shit…" He thought about what he could say next, but never got the chance because a moment later, Reid poked his head in.

"Let's go man. Aaron's coming back." Without another thought, Pogue booked it for the door. He wasn't scared or intimidated by Aaron at all, but he really had no desire to cause a scene in the middle of the hospital and even though Aaron had no idea Pogue was involved, he was sure the brunette would flip his lid regardless of which one of the Sons was in her room.

Besides, he knew how Aaron must feel. As far as Pogue knew, Corrine was pretty adamant about she and Aaron only being friends every time Reid brought that subject up in a verbal dispute. But there was no doubt in Pogue's mind that Corrine seemed to be the only person Aaron really stuck his neck out for, so no matter what their bond was, it was strong. Kind of the way he'd thought his and Kate's was.

It still felt fresh, thinking about her as he followed Reid to the elevators in the hospital. He just couldn't understand where he'd gone wrong with her. Pogue had really thought they were in love. And when he'd found out she was in trouble, he'd completely lost it; he'd never _felt_ those kinds of strong emotions when it came to a girl before. And he'd almost _died_ trying to get to her.

And she'd just up and left. In the worst possible way. Kate hadn't even had the decency to tell him she couldn't handle everything that was going on face to face. She hadn't given him the opportunity to explain the situation. Instead, she'd written him some cheap, half-assed letter and disappeared from Ipswich completely.

He didn't want to say he was heartbroken; no, he was much too proud and bitter to admit that. But he didn't understand and he doubted he ever would. Yes, the circumstances were very intense, but Sarah was still around. Why couldn't Kate be too?

"No offense dude, but I know what you're thinking about; I can tell by that sulky look on your face. Not really appropriate at the time." Reid was annoyed with Pogue's moping since Kate left. He'd become a complete drag.

But this only irritated Pogue. "Shut up Reid! You're ass is still in the fire, I hope you know that. And I'm still pissed at you," he growled, shoving Reid's shoulder forward.

Normally, Reid wouldn't let that slide. But Pogue's words were all too true, so instead of getting in to his brother's face, Reid pushed down his aggravation and instead just got into the driver's side of his truck, Pogue getting into the passenger's seat and the two of them drove back to campus in complete silence.

* * *

Aaron stayed there all night. Long after Kira had gone back to school, still sobbing as if she and Corrine had been two peas in a pod. He seated countless hours after they failed to contact Corrine's father. He stayed through at least three shift changes, that he noticed at least. Really, he wasn't even supposed to be there that long, but the middle aged nurse who took over the night shift seemed to take pity on him, and allowed him there as long as he didn't cause any trouble.

His brain wouldn't shut off. All he could do was worry. And curse Garwin to hell over and over again. He stayed put beside her bed, the once comfortable chair flattening under his weight and making his butt fall asleep. And when he finally drifted off, his sleep was restless. Even in his dreams he saw her in the hospital, doctors rushing around her and the machines beeping at a quick pace. The funeral was the dream that startled him out of his slumber at some mid-morning hour, Aaron forcing his eyes open just before the coffin disappeared into the hole.

Sweat dripped down his forehead as he gasped, trying to regain his composure once he looked around the room and realized it had been nothing but a horrible nightmare… sort of.

"Hey Aaron…"

It felt like his heart exploded, those simple, raspy words being quite possibly the most unbelievable, glorious sound he'd ever heard in his entire life. Immediately, he jumped out of his chair and knelt beside Corrine, who looked completely groggy, but was awake regardless.

Aaron Abbot could legitimately say he'd never been so happy in his entire life.

He'd never felt relief quite like this before. "Holy shit, you have no idea how glad I am to see you awake right now." Aaron's large hand enclosed itself around her thin fingers, his forehead pressing into the back of her hand, all the pent up fear just flowing out of his mind. He felt like he could finally breathe again.

Suddenly though, he jolted back, standing to his feet at lightening quick speed. "I have to go get the doctor!"

Corrine's honey colored eyes rolled and she laughed lightly. "They've already been in here. You were knocked out. I've been up for hours." Aaron couldn't help but smile hugely at the ever-present tone of sarcasm in her voice as she discretely teased him.

Pulling his chair up to her bedside, Aaron finally relaxed for the first time in what seemed like years and took a seat. "What did the doctor say?"

Corrine licked her dry lips and adjusted herself in the hospital bed, many former attachments to the machines beside her now gone, Aaron noticed. "Well, they took some blood. They said if everything looked good, I could go home tomorrow. I think I'm basically just here for observation now."

That was music to Aaron's ears. "Sorry I ruined your Halloween," Corrine said sincerely, feeling terrible that he'd stayed here the entire time with her instead of enjoying his night.

"It's not your fault," the curly haired brunette hissed, remembering what had put her here in the first place. "It was Garwin you know. He put peanuts in your sandwich. Kira told me that Jenny Saunders saw him fucking with your food at lunch when your back was turned."

To Aaron's annoyance, Corrine laughed. "You sound like a fucking gossip queen right now, I hope you know." It annoyed Aaron that she didn't seem angered by this at all.

"I'm serious Rin. You need to go to the Provost and get him expelled! Hell, you should call the fucking cops!" Again, Aaron's irritation flared at the sight of Corrine shaking her head. He didn't like how lightly she was taking this at all.

"Don't worry about it Aaron, I'll handle it." Aaron's strong jaw clenched angrily. Her attitude was not impressive at all right now; she was acting like nothing had happened at all! Sure, she said she'd do something about it, but Aaron knew her body language and the different tones she'd use well enough to know she was brushing him off at the current moment.

"You better handle it Corrine! He almost _killed_ you just for the fucking hell of it!" Aaron was a certified hothead, and was quickly losing his cool.

Corrine scoffed, turning to lie on her side in the bed. "I'm pretty sure he didn't realize—"

"No! Don't even!" Aaron interrupted. The fact that Corrine was making up excuses for Reid Garwin of all people was completely outrageous. "What part of _severely allergic_ could he possibly misunderstand? I know he's an idiot, but no one is that stupid."

"Everything all right in here?" A nurse Aaron recognized from yesterday poked her head in through the door, probably having heard the mild argument they were having.

"It's fine," Corrine assured her, and the nurse took a final glance at Aaron before she disappeared again. "You should go back to school and shower and stuff. I'm fine."

Defeated for the moment, Aaron huffed and ran his hands through his hair before he stood. "Fine. But I'm coming right back. And this conversation definitely isn't over."

"Whatever you say boss," she muttered a half smile on her face. She loved how overprotective Aaron was deep down, even if it was smothering at times. Corrine was a big girl; she could make her own decisions on how to handle her personal situations though. And Aaron needed to understand that.

* * *

No more than a half-hour after Aaron left, and two nurse check ups later, there was a knock at the door. "Yeah?" Corrine called to the visitor, the door creaking open seconds later.

She was only partly surprised to see Reid Garwin standing in the doorway, an uncharacteristic look on his face. He actually looked like he felt something between regret and guilt, not a common expression for the blonde. "Hey Schaeffer." Corrine was pretty sure she'd never seen Reid so soft-spoken in all the time she'd known him.

"Wow…" She had to admit, she was mildly shocked that he actually showed up and was acting so timid, like a puppy who knew he'd done something naughty. "You've got some balls showing up here. Good thing Aaron left."

"I know." For once around her, Reid decided to think before he spoke. Truth was, he'd overheard some kids at school saying that Aaron had come back to campus since she'd woken up and was doing okay. Immediately Reid had shot Pogue a text and made his way to the hospital. "Look—"

Corrine raised her hand to silence him. "I don't need your apology. I already know everything."

Reid frowned, unsure of what to make of that statement. Was he still screwed or was she forgiving him? "_O_-kay." If she didn't want an apology, then what else could he really say?

He was completely shocked when he saw the smirk lift onto her lips. It wasn't like his smirk, it was much more innocent. But it was still a smirk, an 'I've got you where I want you' smirk, and it made the blonde extremely nervous, though he'd never show it.

"I'm not saying I understand it, or that I agree with your methods… obviously. But…" And Corrine inhaled a thick breath, taking a second to make sure this was the right decision. "I'm not going to report you, so you can relax."

Reid breathed the heaviest sigh of relief possible. His gloved hands dragged down his face and his eyes closed in silent thanks to whoever _really_ liked him up there. It was the next words Corrine spoke that made the swell in his throat reform.

"Now that I know the truth."


End file.
